1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector of the type that housings are engaged with each other, or bus bars are fitted in a housing to electrically connect terminals, and more particularly to a structure which detects the incomplete engagement of terminals, bus bars and/or housings in the connector.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Two kinds of connectors of this type are known in the art. One of the connectors is such that housings are engaged with each other so that terminals mounted in those housings are electrically connected to one another. The other is a so-called "joint connector" which is so designed that bus bars are fitted in a housing so that selected terminals are electrically connected to one another.
The joint connector will be described as a typical example of the conventional connectors with reference to FIG. 10 which has been disclosed by Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 4-27588.
In FIG. 10, reference numeral 1 designates the joint connector which comprises: a housing 3; and an engaging body, namely, a plug body 11. The housing 3 has a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers (not shown) formed juxtaposed therein. The terminal accommodating chambers are opened both in the front and in the rear of the housing 3. A terminal 7, which is pressure-connected to an electrical wire 5, is inserted into each of the terminal accommodating chambers from behind, where the terminal 7 is locked by a flexible locking piece (not shown) provided in the terminal accommodating chamber, so that the terminal 7 is prevented from coming off the housing 3.
The housing 3 has a plug body accommodating chamber 9 in the front which is communicated with the terminal accommodating chambers. The aforementioned plug body 11 is engaged with the plug body accommodating chamber 9. The plug body 11 has a plurality of bus bars 13 which are inserted into the respective terminal accommodating chambers.
In the joint connector 1 thus constructed, the terminals 7 are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers, and then the plug body 11 is engaged with the plug body accommodating chamber 9, so that the desired terminals are electrically connected to one another through the bus bars 13 of the plug body 11.
As was described above, in the conventional joint connector 1, the terminals 7 are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers of the housing 3, and then the plug body 11 is engaged with the plug body accommodating chamber 9, so that the desired terminals are electrically connected to one another. Hence, in the case where the terminals 7 are incompletely inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers, or the plug body 11 is incompletely engaged with the plug body accommodating chamber 9, the bus bars 13 may not be brought into contact with the terminals 7 at predetermined positions; that is, the desired terminals may not be electrically connected to one another. In order to eliminate this difficulty, heretofore it is detected visually or by using a checker jig or the like whether or not the terminals 7 are completely inserted into the housing 3, or whether or not the plug body 11 is completely engaged with the housing 3.
However, the visual detection is disadvantageous in the following points: That is, it is difficult for the visual detection to positively decide the incomplete engagement of the terminals, bus bars and/or housings. Particularly, the visual detection of the incomplete insertion of the terminals 7 into the terminal accommodating chambers is liable to fail with high probability. The detection with the checker jig is also disadvantageous in that the equipment cost is increased, and the detection is rather troublesome, so that the installation of the connector is low in workability.
The same may be said about an ordinary connector of the type that its housings are engaged with each other to electrically connect the terminals to one another.